SXSW 2024: Back in action
So much has happened in the past two years, no idea where to begin. So let’s start by posting something I’ve done in the past, my SXSW experience. I have many complicated feelings about the events this year, please contact me to discuss offline.
Brand engagement
Transactions with brands because they gave away free shit (some because they literally work with shit)
In some ways I prefer big brands to do these activations because it’s very clear it’s a transactional relationship: they want me to buy their stuff
- Hours spent in Delta lounge day drinking – 3.5
- New friends met at Delta lounge day drinking – 3
- Times I used the Poo-pourri VIP toilets – 2
- Free non-branded swag items I won from Poo-pourri – 2*
- Postcards sent from Sharpie house – 15
- Country music houses visited – 5 (Britain, Canada, Spain, Italy, Australia)
- Classiest activation- Menuka Health (cellist, cocktails, full sized samples)
- Number of cocktail menus well-matched to activation – 4
*Yeah, I can’t believe this doesn’t have a logo on it either!
Music by the numbers
- Punk bands using whistles – 2
- Crowdsurfing – 3
- Off the rails show – 6
- Bands I expected to love and was bored to tears – 3
- Bands completely obscured by fog – 1
- Female band member telling a male band member taking his shirt off was inappropriate – 1
- Number of jazz mosh pits – 1
- Chills from songs – 5
- Lead performers under the age of 18 – 2
- Times the exact phrase “I have too much of them in my monitor, I do not want that” was used – 1
- Volare used for mic check – 1 (although this should be a thing)
- Mosh pits – 4
- Number bands I have seen previously – 4
- Total bands seen – 68
Covers
There were several truly great covers including:
- Self Esteem done by Winona Fighter
- Brass in Pocket — Kiss Bang
- Devil’s Haircut – Fcukers
- Fuck the Pain Away – Oh Head Dead
- Basically Pedal Steel Noah’s entire set of 80s tunes including Just Like Heaven, Never Tear Us Apart, etc.
Honestly the cake was the English Teeth, who every year choose a band to do a set of covers and bring up a different noted musician to sing each one. This year they honored the Replacements with a diverse group of singers including Spoon’s Brit Daniel, Chuck Prophet, Kelly Willis and Tommy Stinson, among others. The cherry on top was Alejandro Escovedo doing “Bastards of Young.” He came on and said, leave it to the oldest one to sing a song about youth.
Best Shows/Bands Discovered
As I said last year, shows sit at the intersection of band, venue, audience, time of day, and who knows what else. There is also a need for the performer to connect to the audience in some way, whether it’s visceral or emotional.
One of the most amazing shows (Askew) I went to was one of the youngest performers who played an electric ukulele and sang some sweet songs with deep lyrics, and that was in a parking lot. His genuine nature came through and the gratitude, excitement, and passion for his music created a connection.
OK…on to the list in order of how I saw them, so 1 isn’t better. And this is just the sub-section!
- Jon Muq – most likely to the person you hear on the radio next year, he’s upbeat, genuine, and I can’t get enough of his song Runaway. (Singer-songwriter)
- Winona Fighter – this was the first new school punk show of the festival for me and holy moly, it was fun! (Punk)
- Spyres – I liked them so much I saw them twice, sweet sounds, so calm in dealing with some equipment issues and then freaking rocked it (rock)
- Dream Nails – want queer, costumed, punk with songs about queer liberation, feminism, and beyond? High energy live. (punk)
- Holiday Ghosts – wow, I wanted to catch them again and couldn’t. They were more than expected and had a great combo of polish and grittiness live. (Indie/lo fi)
- Airu – The band who opened the Spanish house party brought their brand indie pop to life outdoors and art the kind of thing you want to listen to right as your evening starts – pumping you up to go out. (Indie pop)
- Los Premios – Kristy and I were at this show and kept going HOLY WOW. Also, this was one of those bands were every member was dressed as if they were in completely different genres. They blew us away with their energy and fast-paced tunes. Recorded they are way more mellow than live. Both are excellent. (Psychedelic)
- Ada Oda – Every one in the crowd was jumping up and down in sync with this six-piece band who sings in Italian. I’ve already listened to the album twice since leaving Austin. This says a lot for a show that was in a small restaurant. (Pop punk)
- Mui Zyu – I’ve had Mui on my list for two years and was happy she played Central Presbyterian. It was ethereal and sweet, giving me chills. This was a quiet anti-programming to the fun, frenetic energy of the punk shows I kept seeing. (Dream pop)
- Oh He Dead – This is the band you call up when you want to party. For a 1am show where I went in thinking “1 – 2 songs tops” I ended up dancing and staying until the bitter end. They knew how to bring it. Plus they covered Peaches in a soulful way. (Soul)
- Kassa Overall – I had this on my list because it sounded like it would be fun. We had drumming on stage, there was a “jazz mosh pit,” there was percussion, and lots of saxophone. (Jazz)
- SNÖOPER – I have no idea what happened during this year. There were giant TV screens, matching track suits, vocal pieces, jumping, a mosh pit with a guy on roller skates. SO MUCH FUN! (Punk)
- Bubble Tea & Cigarettes – I took almost no photos during SXSW, but this show followed SNÖOPER and was completely the opposite. Obscured by fog and backlit by calm lightning, this duo delighted me with calm, electronic indie pop and goofy stories. (Indie pop)
- Chinese American Bear – I learned a hand dance for a song about making dumplings, we danced to the love bus, and heard about the lead singer’s childhood visiting her grandmother in Beijing. I also don’t think I’ve seen a band smile so much. My heart felt full after their show. (Mandopop)
- Kiss Bang – The lead singer has so much sex appeal and songs that recorded, while good, were compelling live. My handwritten note just says “pipes” because she can sing. And so can her band-mate. An unexpected surprise when waiting to see another band. (Pop)
- Perennial – This was a completely interactive show, the band’s keyboardist and guitar player set up in the middle of the club, the entire set was interactive and punk af. (Art Punk)
- Mary Shelley – Hanging from the ceiling, jumping off the stage, band members in hospital gowns and scrubs, trading instruments, crowd participation, and SO intense and fun. (Punk)